The RAF is purchasing 12 F-35As to resume NATO’s nuclear mission with B61-12 bombs, strengthening air deterrence in Europe.
The United Kingdom is committing to nuclear air rearmament: 12 F-35As will be purchased to carry the American B61-12 bomb as part of NATO’s Dual-Capable Aircraft (DCA) mission. These jets, based at RAF Marham, will revive a role that has been absent since 1998, complementing the submarine component of the UK’s nuclear deterrent. The operation is part of a broader defense plan, with defense spending set to rise to 5% of GDP by 2035.
The purchase of 12 F-35As: a strategic and economic choice
The British government has approved the acquisition of 12 F-35A conventional take-off fighters for a total estimated cost of $960 million (approximately €900 million), or about $80 million per aircraft. This model offers a clear budgetary advantage: it costs 25% less to purchase and operate than the F-35B, which is designed for short takeoff and vertical landing aircraft carriers.
The aircraft will be assigned to the 207th Operational Conversion Squadron, based at RAF Marham in Norfolk. This unit is responsible for advanced training of Royal Air Force pilots on the F-35. The F-35A, with its 8.3 tons of internal fuel, has a range 1,000 km greater than the F-35B, allowing for longer training missions. It also requires 30% less maintenance, reducing technical downtime and increasing air availability.
Although these aircraft are primarily intended for training, they will be prepared for NATO’s nuclear mission with the B61-12 bomb, giving the acquisition strategic value beyond its simple training role.
Nuclear sharing: how it works
The F-35A is certified to carry the B61-12, a US-made tactical gravity nuclear bomb. This munition weighs approximately 340 kilograms and offers adjustable yield ranging from 0.3 to 50 kilotons thanks to an integrated power selection system. It also features an inertial and GPS guidance system, giving it an accuracy of 30 meters at the point of impact, making it a low-yield, non-targeted nuclear weapon for use in limited or deterrent contexts.
The B61-12 deployed in the United Kingdom will remain the exclusive property of the United States under all circumstances. They will be stored in underground armored vaults called WS3 (Weapons Storage and Security System), integrated into hardened aircraft shelters. These facilities could be reactivated at RAF Marham, but their current status remains uncertain. A likely alternative remains RAF Lakenheath, already modernized by the Americans to accommodate the B61-12s and their own F-35As.
Their use requires dual political approval: that of the President of the United States and the British Prime Minister, within the framework of the NATO Nuclear Planning Group, according to a principle of joint command.
Strategic and geopolitical implications
The integration of the nuclear-capable F-35A into the Royal Air Force alters the strategic balance of the United Kingdom by enabling it to rebuild an airborne nuclear strike capability, which has been absent since the withdrawal of WE.177 bombs in 1998. This completes a “triad” deterrence posture, combining submarine force (Trident submarines), air delivery systems (F-35A), and a political link within NATO.
The use of F-35As allows for flexible, non-stationary nuclear projection that is more difficult to anticipate than a ballistic missile submarine, particularly in times of crisis. This type of delivery system is also better suited to strategic signaling without immediate escalation, in line with a doctrine of graduated deterrence.
This decision comes amid growing tensions with Russia, marked by the war in Ukraine and Russian military exercises simulating nuclear strikes on the Baltic states and Poland. The 2025 NATO summit confirmed an increase in defense budgets to 5% of GDP by 2035 in the United Kingdom, compared to around 2.3% currently. This increase aims to rebuild an autonomous strategic capability while strengthening interoperability with US allies.
The United Kingdom becomes the second European country to deploy F-35As on a nuclear mission after the Netherlands (2024). Other countries involved in this NATO nuclear sharing mission include Germany, Belgium, Italy, and Poland. This expansion of the Dual-Capable Aircraft (DCA) program consolidates a collective nuclear deterrence posture on the European continent in response to emerging strategic threats.
Technical limitations and challenges
The introduction of the F-35A into the British arsenal raises several operational constraints. This model uses a flying boom refueling system, whereas the current fleet of British Airbus Voyager KC2/KC3 refueling aircraft is exclusively equipped with the probe-and-drogue system, which is compatible with the F-35B, Typhoon, and Royal Navy aircraft. As things stand, the F-35A cannot be refueled in flight by British means.
To guarantee complete strategic autonomy, the United Kingdom will either have to use allied refuelers, such as those of the US Air Force stationed in Europe, or consider adaptations. The first solution, although operational in the short term, involves a capability dependency that is incompatible with certain sovereignty missions. The second would require either the addition of rigid refueling probes to the Voyagers or participation in the Multinational Multi-Role Tanker Transport Fleet (MRTT), already used by several NATO countries. In both cases, the costs and delays would be significant.
In terms of its fleet, the United Kingdom currently has only 48 F-35Bs on order, to which 15 additional units will be added, and only 12 F-35As for the coming decade. This creates a logistical split between two technically distinct variants, requiring specific maintenance chains, stocks, and training. Furthermore, with only 12 F-35As, the critical mass to ensure permanent availability in the event of a surge in demand is not reached.
This fragmentation introduces additional complexity without currently offering a fully autonomous nuclear air capability.
The practical consequences for the RAF and industry
For the Royal Air Force
The integration of the F-35A has a direct impact on operational availability and resource management. Thanks to its greater internal fuel capacity (8,278 liters compared to 6,124 liters for the F-35B), the F-35A allows for longer training missions, reducing the number of sorties required to achieve an equivalent level of qualification. At the same time, its maintenance requirements are approximately 30% lower, which increases the average availability per aircraft.
These F-35As, assigned to the 207th Squadron, will play a central role in the operational conversion of pilots. This increase in skill levels will facilitate cross-training on the F-35B, although the two variants are not identical in terms of piloting. The F-35A has a higher internal payload, a longer range, and can withstand up to 9G compared to 7.5G for the F-35B.
Strategically, the restoration of airborne nuclear capability via the B61-12 reinforces the credibility of the UK’s posture within NATO, providing a complementary capability to maritime deterrence.
For British industry
The F-35 program has a significant industrial impact. More than 100 British companies are involved in the production and maintenance of the fighter, including BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, and Martin-Baker. According to Ministry of Defense estimates, the F-35 contract directly or indirectly supports nearly 20,000 jobs in the UK.
Local production of structural sub-assemblies, ejection seats and electronic components strengthens industrial sovereignty, even within a US-led program. The expertise gained could also serve as a technological foundation for the development of the future 6th generation Tempest fighter, planned as part of the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) in cooperation with Italy and Japan. The F-35A could thus act as a technology sensor and doctrine of use, serving as an operational transition to this future combat system.
War Wings Daily is an independant magazine.